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Everything posted by Nugget Shooter

Hi All,
To help sum up what Dennis has said we do not want the same political messes etc. that some other clubs have found themselves involved in and will do our best to make sure that does not happen. As a non-profit corporation we do however have to (by law) hold elections each year for the board of directors that all members vote in. This is about as political as we will get and our bylaws allow for removal of a unsatisfactory board member by vote.
All club information and especially claim info will be held in the strictest cofidence with paid members only being given directions and info to claims. Leased claims and their use (controlled by owner) will also be clearly outlined to each member.
Trust me here my friends we have all seen the bad in clubs as well as the good and we are doing our best to make sure this is a good one.
Our bylaws are being presented to our lawyer in Wickenburg tomorrow for inspection and then it will be submitted for our right to do business as Western States Prospecting Association. We will have a PO Box in Morristown, AZ and a bank account with Wells Fargo.
I think one of the big differences in this club and others will be members and our core is already made up of folks many of us know and trust. This bond we all already share will make this endeavor a success.
Good hunting, Bill

Pretty simple really,
If you don't trust us or think we are out to steal claims then don't join :shrug: Pretty hard to steal something you legally file on or lease though I'd say. I'm sure there are folks that don't trust others out there and ya just can't please anyone.
My Grandfather once told me "if you take a firm stand at anything and try to make it work there will be people that don't like it no matter how good the deed"
Good hunting, Bill

Hi Slim and All,
We're moving right along here and thanks! I just purchased www.westernstatesprospectorsassociation.com for the club and will transfer it over after we are incorporated. It was registered today and is ready to go.
All the WSPA domains were taken and the owner wants $$ for them :hmmmmmm:
I know it's a rather long address, but it will be fine.
Good hunting, Bill

Howdy lotsa luck,
Well to sum that one up "all of the above" as there will be someone that does other than beeping involved I'd guess. I think most of our focus is on claims great for nugget shooting though. If a leased claim is not to be used for other than detecting that will be listed with the claim info we provide our members.
You are correct about the lease agreement and we will be getting one put together ASAP. This agreement should include a gaurantee that the claim owners rights and rules for use be strictly adhered to as well. If an area is off limits or otherwise not usable by the club this will be clearly outlined with the claim information and any member that breaks this agreement will be ejected from the club plain and simple. There is allot of trust involved when someone loans use of a good claim and essentially gives away potential nuggets to our members and we will not allow abuse of this trust.
Good hunting, Bill

Just so you all know we are not charging folks that donate claims for the club to use for memberships. The donation of use of their claims is quite enough to join as we see it.
It is simply the proper way to handle this don't ya think?
Bill

Hi All,
That fee is when broken down less that 15.00 per month to have what will amount to 100s of acres of claims to work eventually and the repeat fee of 135.00 per year will assure that we are able to gain more as we mature as a successful group. Quite reasonable really and unlike the GPAA we will own many of our claims as well as lease.
I don't think being the biggest will ever be our intention, just the best!
Bill

Hi Guys,
I will have a club website up in a few days and yes we can sure use a couple folks willing do donate some time and build it. Anyone interested? It will be a sub domain donated by me at no cost as with the forum and chat.
Rick can you write html?
Bill

Yes and as you mentioned Roger,
personal info etc. regarding members and their addresses will be kept confidential. We will have this info when actual registration starts sometime in the next couple weeks.
Bill

That is a great thought Gary and I don't see that being a problem at all. So folks how about I post that info as we gain members. I will not be doing it until we have actually incorporated and in a sence are born. That will be next week.
Bill

Hi Rick,
If we don't collect a start up of 135.00 and charge the same per year there is no way the club could operate and maintain claims. I don't know what to say, sorry.
We are starting from scrarch here and that money will be used to build our club by setting up a corporation and fileing claims. The cost to file a claim is 170.00 or so then 125.00 to keep it per, claim per year.
At 135.00 per year we are less expensive than many clubs, there are naturally some less expensive, but what about their claims?
Good hunting, Bill

Yes folks will be allowed to use other methods on club owned claims, all leased claims will be subject to the owners wishes in such a case. If the claim owner says detecting only that is how it will be. I know of two cases where a preliminary offer of large claimed areas have been offered pending the outcome of all this and both have requested detecting only as they still are working these claims, another area will have the current workings off limits.
These folks are watching us grow and by following these requests to the letter more claims will become available as we gain trust of owners.
Bill

Hi All,
This club was started by forum members and is forum based and I will also be suppling a sub domain for the use of the WSPA as we move along. At this point we are not 100% sure we want to be spread out all over the web and at least by having club members that were forum members first you know the folks joining to some degree.
This is a totally non-profit thing and all that my site gives to the club in the way of forum, chat, and sub domain all donated by Nugget Shooter. So why pay someone to do it? The more things we have to buy the less we have for claims etc.
Politics and having tons of members that care about nothing more than having a place to hunt without lifting a finger to help is what has made many a club...well....suck. I somewhat fear the attitude you see and some of the nasty politics of large clubs. To be honest some of the folks I have met at other forums and in the field over the years have some bad habits and could care less about claims or rules...Do we want that here?
Extending the comradery of this forum into the field at outings has been great and to extend a bit more with a forum based club is a first I think as well as a good way to sort of get to know folks first. Most of this is still in the discussion stage at this point and we will lay what we have come up with on ya after Christmas.
As gary said we have several posts and are learning by the "puddle of mud" theory, but as we put things together it will be announced. If you want to send a check that is fine and please make it out to Western States Prospecting Association and we will hold it until we have a bank account set up. I and the rest of us have been paying very close attention to ALL of your comments and ideas and are using your advise.
The cost to incorporate in AZ is around 700.00 and we will be loaning the WSPA the money to set this up ASAP, next will be a mailbox, and bank account. We at that time will present our bylaws for your approval, send out a pdf format application and get the ball rolling. In the next few weeks we will have our first club meeting/chat on line and you will be able to learn much more and make suggestions. Before this meeting we will be asking those that want to commit after seeing the bylaws etc. to pay their dues to stay aboard or ask to be let out of joining and we will then change the password for paid members only.
This is what is up so far with a few edges to be smoothed out so bear with us folks as we are working our butts off to get er done. Those chomping at the bit to help please be patient as we truly want your assistance as soon as something is set in stone.
Good hunting, Bill

Hi All,
Last night I had a meeting with Roger, Denny, and JB and we managed to get a few things done
Name: Western States Prospecting Association
By Laws: I will be getting done this week
INC: JB and Denny are getting this going so we are incorporated
Bank Account: Roger is setting up a temp until we are INC.
The cost to join this outfit will be 135.00 and this fee will be reaccuring yearly. There will be a yearly card as well...
Claim info is being gathered now and if you are one of those planning to offer a claim or claims please contact me with the details at southerndesert@yahoo.com or 623-910-0345 so I can get all the info we will need for mapping etc.
Claims the association plans to file will be slower in coming, but we will be right on it with all your help. If you indeed have areas in mind please contact one of us and we will get going on that as well.
We really need all you prospective members to help on areas in the various states for testing, filing, etc. in the months to come if this will be a success.
Payment to join will be by check to the above mentioned name and we wil;l begin accepting $$ as soon as we get the account open. NONE of us will be making any profit or taking any pay for our work as it is all donated time as will be all work for the club. All monies generated will be used for claims, fees, and other club business only.
That's it so far and after we start taking $$ all that are on this section of the forum will be required to pay to remain and all new members will be required to pay before entering this area. At that time I will change the password as well as remove those that decide not to go along for the ride..
The success or failure of this endevor is regulated only by our members willingness to make this fly and fly it will!
More to come as it is figured out and all input is welcome as always.
Bill

I have already seen some level headded ideas and I am working on a set of BY-LAWS to present for edit. So far we have a good number of members and still no one running the show and making final decisions sooooooooo I here by elect Denny, Roger, John B and Myself to over see start up and setting up the clubs bank account, legal title, and By-Laws and all will be subject to final approval by the start up membership. Hopefully these guys will help me out here.....
My first order of business will be to list the folks that have contacted me in a PINNED membership listing at this forum and I will do that today.
If your name is on that list and you are not dedicated to this let me know now because we really need folks that want to get involved not just pay to hunt and let everyone else do all the work.
I also would like to request that someone step up now to help with secretary work, mapping, and claim management.
We gotta have a couple leaders to build this thing if it is going to work at all and I am willing step up to do this for now if Denny, John and Roger are and if you will all be willing and able to work with us.
I know the threads at first have seemed a little confusing, but we are pooling ideas and it needs to continue as this is new to me as well and I'd really like to see this work as there has never been a group like this do this before. We have some real serious prospectors and detectorists in our midst and man that is exciting.
So if this sounds good to you guys someone second this motion, if not lets get it hashed out and get someone running this runaway train :icon_mrgreen:
Bill

I would be more than willing to pay 135.00 per year dues to maintain a healthy claim account as suggested earlier... That would assure pert near a new claim per year per person if the marbles are played right. I liked that idea....
Bill

Well fellers it's time to step up...
we will need folks to do some claim work ASAP and maps.
Need to figure out a Name (see other post) and set up a bank account.
How much should we chip in to join?
We also talked over the claims that have been offered by a few good folks and figure the club will pay the yearly fees as long as we use their claims as well as leave said claims in the original owners name so if the unthinkable happens their claim rights remain intact.
we will also need to adopt a set of by laws ASAP....
I already have signed up at least 15 folks so let's hear from you!
Bill

Hi All,
Well we had the first meeting of intent for developing this as yet un-named new club and it went very well with all in attendance agreeing to continue efforts to get this thing organized.
Right now we already have some offers of claims that can be used by the club and with the start up money we will surly gather we will be able to add more very quickly.
I think adressing legalities, name, cost to join and election of officers should be looked into first and I will keep this end going until someone is elected to take control of validating new members.
For now ALL your ideas are very important to get things going so let-er-rip!
Looking forward to moving ahead with this, Bill

Wow Ruben,
Great read and boy did I learn from that one! Thank you.
Isn't there a couple treatment available out there that will treat a iron for oxidation without the use of oil? I thought I read something on the Met list about that once.
Good hunting, Bill